Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)

Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) provides qualitatively differentiated learning experiences for students with unique abilities, interests, and talents with the expectation that students will be successful learners capable of performing at high levels of ability. Research has shown that specialized instructional strategies, along with opportunities for gifted students to interact with each other on a regular basis, yield higher academic performance, as well as improved social and emotional well-being.

If you are a CVUSD parent of a second-grade student and would like more information about the GATE screening results you received in the mail, please scroll down to the “Learn More About GATE” section at the bottom of this page and click on the “Universal Screening for Rising Third-Graders” drop-down menu for additional details.

Upcoming Events

District GATE Activities

Upon the conclusion of our last "After Class Enrichment Series" (ACES) for the year, our activity and event planning for the 2026-2027 school year is currently under way! If your GATE student has an idea for an enrichment opportunity they would be interested in attending, you can submit them here or email Stefanie Caswell.

Community Opportunities

Please note that CVUSD provides these resources for your reference, but that does not constitute affiliation with or recommendation of the organizations or practices listed within.

Family Fun

Conejo Recreation & Park District
Conejo Valley Guide
Thousand Oaks Library - Elementary Programs and Tweens / Teens Opportunities
- Bookmark Contest
- Looking for Summer Volunteers ages 14-17

Looking for Summer Camps?

Click the Summer Learning tab on our Enrichment/Extension Resources page.

Planning for the Future

AP Study Resources - BrainFuse Help Now & LearningExpress Library have practice exams and study guides to help with AP studies.
Find a Cash for College Workshop - CA.Gov
Ventura CA$H for College - FREE Workshops

Interested in Getting Involved?

Would you like to connect with other GATE families and get involved in GATE activities and events in CVUSD?

Join us for an upcoming GATE-DAC meeting. These public meetings are open to everyone, and GATE families are encouraged to attend as guests anytime their schedule allows.

For detailed meeting information, visit Diligent Community to access the agenda 72 hours prior to our Friday morning meeting.

Contact Information

Shane Frank
Director of Middle School Education
805 497-9511 Ext. 1221
Email

Stefanie Caswell
GATE Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) 805 497-9511 Ext. 4226
Email

Heather Neely
Administrative Assistant
805 497-9511 Ext. 1220
Email

GATE Links

Mental Health

Learn More About GATE:

Program Information

Do you have a newly identified GATE student and wonder what this new world is all about? Our New GATE parent presentation can offer some insights into what GATE is/means and how we work to meet the needs of our gifted students in CVUSD.

Program Content

Content of the GATE Program includes, but is not limited to:

"After Class Enrichment Series" (ACES) offer district-wide GATE enrichmnet events and activities.
Monthly campus enrichment opportunities.
Qualitatively differentiated learning experiences in academic areas.
Accelerated learning options.
Development of critical thinking and creative problem-solving abilities.
Development of ethical standards, realistic healthy self concepts, sensitivity, and responsibility.
Social-emotional support.
Alternative interventions for underachieving, economically disadvantaged or culturally and linguistically diverse GATE students.

Program Options - Elementary

Once identified, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade GATE students are clustered in at least one class at each grade level on every school site. Focus is placed on the development of critical thinking skills and problem-solving activities, and sustained academic success. Curriculum is modified to meet student needs. Accelerated or extended learning opportunities are provided as appropriate. Students are encouraged to participate in optional activities provided by the school (during lunch or after school), district "ACES" (After Class Enrichment Series), and possible field trips to local colleges and/or community events.

"Odyssey of the Mind" sponsored by the district promoting creative problem-solving and collaborative teamwork.

"SPONT Day" sponsored by the District at different school locations.

"Invention Convention" is a STEAM focused district program open to ALL students in 3rd - 5th grade.

Program Options - Secondary

Students have an opportunity to meet together for at least one period a day in an appropriate honors or advanced placement class. Participation in optional activities provided by the school (during lunch or after school), district "ACES" (After Class Enrichment Series), possible field trips, and collaboration/exposure to local colleges and/or community events.

"Odyssey of the Mind" sponsored by the district promoting creative problem solving and collaborative teamwork.

"Teen Tech Convention" is a STEAM focused district program offered to 6th grade CVUSD GATE students at the Thousand Oaks Teen Center.

If you have any questions, please email Stefanie Caswell

Parent Involvement

Our CVUSD family and community is full of experts that do amazing things...EVERY day! Do you have a special skill-set/gift or talent that you could share with our students? We would love to hear from you!!! Contact Stefanie Caswell for volunteer opportunities surrounding your child's home campus.

The best way to understand what is happening in your child's education is to get involved with the people who make it happen.

Each school has a GATE Teacher Facilitator who organizes and leads enrichment activities and a parent representative who attends monthly meetings with the GATE District Advisory Council (GATE-DAC). The purpose of the monthly GATE-DAC meetings is to provide information about gifted students and the District's GATE program, review general student progress, plan special events during the year, and make recommendations to enhance the program. These meetings are also open to the public. Attending GATE-DAC meetings and sponsored activities provides you with additional understanding of the District's program and services available to your child. It also gives you the opportunity to meet other parents who have similar interests.

The GATE-DAC 2025-2026 Calendar can show you when our next GATE District Advisory Council parent meeting will take place. To access the agenda, visit Board Docs for more detailed meeting information.

You can also check with the principal at your child's school to see how you can assist your student's home campus GATE activities. We look forward to your involvement.

Is your GATE identified student new to CVUSD?

If your student was previously GATE identified in another district, we need the following information to determine GATE eligibility in CVUSD.

Eligibility letter or notice of previous district GATE placement.
Qualifying results from previous identification measures/assessments.

Please send this information to:

Conejo Valley Unified School District
Instructional Services - GATE
1400 East Janss Road
Thousand Oaks, CA 91362

or via email to Stefanie Caswell

Interested in having your student screened for GATE?

2025-2026 School Year

CVUSD's GATE identification/screening sessions have concluded for the 2025 - 2026 school year.

2026-2027 School Year

To initiate the GATE identification process for 4th - 12th grade students or 3rd graders that are NEW to CVUSD (and did not have an opportunity to participate in Universal GATE Screening in the spring), parents/guardians need to complete a digital parent referral (linked below) and return the printed document to their student's home campus or email it to Mrs. Caswell by November 3, 2026, for your student to be included in our next GATE referral screening opportunity during the 2026-2027 school year.

2026-2027 GATE Identification Timeline (English)
Línea de Tiempo de GATE 2026-2027 (Español)
Parent Referral (English) - Intermediate Elementary / Secondary
Referencia De Los Padres (Español) - Primaria / Secundaria

The Instructional Services Department will conduct GATE screening for referred students between December 1, 2026 and January 15, 2027.

CVUSD GATE identification begins with Universal Screening in the spring of 2nd grade.

Please note: To ensure the validity of student data, and to preserve test viability, the computer-based testing platform requires a minimum of 12 months between screening sessions for any participant. Therefore, third grade students that participated in Universal Screening during the spring of 2026 would not be eligible for re-screening until spring 2027. However, to preserve the spring timelines for statewide CAASPP testing, we are only able to offer referral GATE screening for intermediate and secondary students in the fall, between Thanksgiving and winter break. As such, the next GATE referral opportunity for current 3rd grade students, that participated in Universal Screening last year, would be in the fall of 2027 during 4th grade. Third grade parents may initiate the GATE re-screening process, by completing and returning a parent referral in (English) or (Español) to Mrs. Caswell by November 1, 2027.

Universal Screening for Rising Third-Graders

Have you received your student's GATE letter/scores from Universal Screening and need help interpreting/understanding the results? Click this link for additional information.

2026-2027 School Year

2026-2027 School Year Universal GATE Screening Information:

Rising third-grade students will have the opportunity to be screened for the GATE program in the spring of their second-grade year, unless parents/guardians choose to opt their student out of screening. Opt-out information will come from school site staff in March 2027 prior to the GATE screening activity administration. GATE screening will take place on each of our elementary campuses between late April and early June.

Notifications/Results: Individual student letters and scores will be mailed to the parents/guardians of all student participants upon the conclusion of our district-wide follow-up screening measures the last week of school.

* Please note: To ensure the validity of student data, and to preserve test viability, the computer-based testing platform requires a minimum of 12 months between screening sessions for any participant. Therefore, third grade students that participated in Universal Screening during the spring of 2026 would not be eligible for re-screening until spring 2027. However, to preserve the spring timelines for statewide CAASPP testing, we are only able to offer referral GATE screening for intermediate and secondary students in the fall, between Thanksgiving and winter break. As such, the next GATE referral opportunity for current 3rd grade students, that participated in Universal Screening last year, would be in the fall of 2027 during 4th grade. Third grade parents may initiate the GATE re-screening process, by completing and returning a parent referral in (English) or (Español) to Mrs. Caswell by November 1, 2027.

Forms

Parent Referral (English) - Intermediate Elementary / Secondary
Referencia De Los Padres (Español) - Primaria / Secundaria
Teacher Referral
- Required Parent Consent with Teacher Referral:
  - English - Intermediate Elementary / Secondary
  - Español - Primaria / Secundaria
3rd - 5th Grade Individual Differentiated Learning Plan (IDLP) - English
3rd - 5th Grado Plan de Aprendizaje Diferenciado Individual (IDLP) - Español

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